Telescoping derrick with locking device



Sept. 11, 1956 E F. SPENCER 2,762,471

TELESCOPING DERRICK WITH LOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1955 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. /2

F l/IO &

a it I 2 46 l 22 5 Fred Spencer INVENTOR.

Sept. 11, 1956 E F. SPENCER TELESCOPING DERRICK WITH LOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1955.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm mm E Fred Spencer INVENTOR.

9 By gum adyzwy yM Sept. 11, 1956 E F. SPENCER TELESCOPING DERRICK WITH LOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mm mm United States Patent TELESCOPING DERRICK WITH LOCKING DEVICE E Fred Spencer, Gladewater, Tex.

Application November 22, 1955, Serial No. 548,332

' -'11'Claims. 01. 189-14) This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a telescoping derrick with locking device and more particularly relates to an improved construction whereby upper and lower, slidably associated telescoping sections of a derrick may be readily locked in their extended position or released to permit collapsing and telescoping of the sections.

The primary object of this invention is to improve the construction of derricks, and especially of derricks adapted for use in drilling operations, whereby longitudinally extensible, telescopingly associated sections of the derrick may be securely locked in longitudinally extended position and readily released for collapsible telescoping of the derrick in an improved manner.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a releasable locking device for the telescoping sections of longitudinally extensible derricks which may be quickly and easily applied to conventional derrick constructions, shall be easily actuated, and shall securely lock and support the derrick sections in their extended position with greater ease and greater security.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device in accordance with the foregoing objects which shall also serve to securely attach upper and lower portions of a derrick section together by being connectingly secured therebetween.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a locking device in accordance with the foregoing objects which shall have improved actuating means to positively move the locking members into and out of their supporting and locking positions with securety and certainty.

And a final important object of the invention is to provide a locking and releasing device for longitudinally extensible telescoping derrick sections which shall be extremely simple and reliable in its construction and operation, and shall be conveniently and easily manipulated from the ground or base of the derrick.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanyiug drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a longitudinally extensible derrick having its telescoping sections disposed in extended position, with the locking device in accordance with this invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken upon a greatly enlarged scale of a portion of Figure 1, parts being broken away, and certain concealed parts being shown in dotted lines therein, the view illustrating the manner in which the locking device is employed to support and secure the upper and lower sections in longitudinally extended position, the view being taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the gated member 32 which, adjacent its midportion, is pro- 2,762,471 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 locking device while in its operative position for securing the upper section to the lower section in longitudinally extended position;

Figure 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view showing the actuating means by which the locking devices are manipulated for horizontally swinging the same into and out of their locking position;

Figure 5 is a detail view taken in vertical section through the adjacent portions of the upper and lower sections and showing the manner in which the locking device and its mounting means are associated therewith when the upper and lower sections are locked together in longitudinally extended position; and

Figure 6 is a detail view taken in horizontal section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 66 of Figure 5.

For convenience of handling and transportation, for

ease of assembly and disassembly, and in the interest of economy, it is now customary to manufacture longitudinally extensible derricks consisting of a plurality of telescoping, slidably associated sections together with some means for securing the sections in their extended position. The principles of the present invention are particularly applicable to longitudinally extensible derricks of this type, and in Figure l are illustrated in connection with a derrick indicated generally by the numeral 10 and consisting of an upper section 12 which is associated with a lower section 14 for telescoping and sliding movement. As will be seen best by Figure 3, the lower section, and if desired, the upper section, are of U-shaped configuration in crosssection, having a pair of sides and a back wall with one side open. The sections may be constructed in accordance with usual practice, and since the principles of this invention are not limited to the particular construction of the derrick sections, a detailed description of the same has been omitted as a superfluous.

However, for the purposes of this invention, it will be understood that each of the sections includes corner standards or columns which form the side edges of the sections, and the columns and members making up the same on the lower section are indicated in the drawings by the numeral 16, while those of the upper section are indicated by the numeral 18. As will now be apparent from a comparison of Figures 2 and 3, the standards or columns of the upper section are slidably received within those of the lower section. In order to facilitate telescoping sliding movement of the sections, a plurality of guide tracks 20 consisting of transversely curved plates are secured to the standards 16 of the lower section for slidably guiding the standards 18 of the upper section.

Referring now especially to Figures 2 and 5, it will be observed that a support means which also comprises a locking means for supporting and securing the upper section in longitudinally extended relation to the lower section is provided, together with a mounting means whereby the supporting means is secured to the lower section. The support means consists of a body 22, provided with first and second substantially parallel bores 24 and 26 therein. The bore 26 constitutes a socket by means of which the upper section is supported and locked in its extended position as set forth hereinafter. The first bore 24, however, constitutes a bearing by means of which the support means is rotatably journaled upon the mounting means. Extending laterally from the body 24 are a pair of ears 28 and 30 which are disposed upon opposite sides of the bore 24. These ears are apertured or otherwise adapted for engagement by an actuating means whereby horizontal swinging movement may be.

Below the journal bearing 34, the memberl z is pro vided with a laterally enlarged flange or shoulder 36 comprising a seat or support by means of which the lower surface of the support means is carried for horizontal swinging movement. The two opposite ends of the member 32 are diametrically reduced to provide aligned cylindrical extensions 38 and 40. r

The lower section 14 consists of separable upper and lower portions which are connected together by the adjacent ends of their standards or columns 16 being received upon the extensions 38 and 40 and resting upon shoulders carried thereby. It will thus be seen that the mounting means 32 serves the purpose both of detachably securing together two portions of the lower section and, further, serves to provide a support for the support means.

As will be best understood from Figure 5, the lower ends of the columns 18 of the upper section are provided with looking pins 42. The latter include diametrically reduced upper and lower cylindrical portions .44 and 46, the former being secured within and, if desired, permanently united with the lower end of the column 18, while the latter is detachably received in the upper end of the bore. or socket 26.

As so far described, it will now be understood that the support means may be swung horizontally by means of the bore 24 about the axis of the mounting means 32 whereby the socket 26 may be moved into or out of the vertical line of travel of its associated locking pin of the upper section.

In order to facilitate the locating of the socket 26 in proper position for receiving the locking pin 46, the structure of the lower section is provided with a stop in the form of a lug or pin 48 which is positioned, as shown in Figures 3 and 6, to abut one side of the support means and prevent further horizontal swinging movement in one direction of the latter when the support means is in proper position for receiving its associated locking pin. However, the support means may be swung horizontally in the other position in order to move it out of the line of travel of the upper section and permit the latter to be raised or lowered by sliding movement upon the guide tracks 20.

An actuating means is provided for positively moving the support means into and out of their operative, locking and supporting position. As will be apparent from Fig ures 2-4, the actuating means comprises a pair of actuators operatively connected to each pair of the support means. The actuators preferably comprise members such as cables 56 and 52, each of which at its lower end is connected to a lever 54 or other suitable operating member which may conveniently be pivoted to a portion of the lower section. At its upper end, each of the cables 50 and 52 is secured as by a fastener 56 to a pair of connecting cables 58 and 60. These cables may conveniently be entrained over guide means such as'pulleys 62 suitably supported upon the structure of the lower section in such a manner that the cable 50 is secured to the ears 28 at one side of a pair of support means and the cable 52 is secured to the ears 30 at the other side of the support means from their vertical axes. Thus, by selective manipulations of the cables 59 and 52, a pair of support means may be moved into or out of their operative position. As will be apparent, each pair of support means is provided with the same construction of actuating means.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Suitable means, not shown, are provided for effecting raising or lowering of the upper section with respect to the lower section. In order to extend the derrick into its longitudinally extended position, the upper section is raised until its lower ends are positioned above the support means. This can be done since the upper portion of the lower section is located above the support means and the mounting means. therefor. In this position, the actuating members 50 and 52 of each pair of support means are manipulated to thereby horizontally swing the support means in the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3, whereby their sockets 26 will be aligned with the locking pins 46 of the upper section. The latter may then be lowered until the locking pins are received snugly in the sockets 26, at which time the weight of the upper section will retain the same in locked position. It will be observed that during this horizontal swinging movement of the support means into position to receivethe locking pins, the stop means 48 will facilitate the proper positioning of the sockets.

' will clear the lower ends of the columns 18 of the upper section, and the latter may then he slid downwardly along the guide tracks 20 until the sections are collapsed.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A locking device for a longitudinally extensible derrick having upper and lower telescoping sections associated for relative sliding movement comprising a plurality of support means, means mounting each of said support means upon the lower section for horizontal swinging movement, each about a vertical axis, each support means having a socket, a plurality of locking pins mounted upon section and receivable in said sockets, actuating means operatively associated with said support means for positively swinging the latter horizontally into and out of pin receiving position.

2. The combination of claim l wherein said mounting means each includes a standard rigidly secured to the lower section and having a journal bearing thereon and a supporting flange below said journal bearing, said support means including a bearing rotatably received upon the journal bearing and supported by said flange.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting means each includes a standard rigidly secured to the lower section and having a journal bearing thereon and a supporting flange below said journal bearing, said support means including a bearing rotatably received upon the journal bearing and supported by said flange, said lower section having upper and lower portions, aligned recesses in the adjacent surfaces of said portions, said journal bearing having locking projections. at its opposite ends received in said recesses whereby said mounting means connects the upper and lower portions together and supports the upper section upon the lower section in longitudinally extended position.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a pair of actuators, each actuator being connected to a mounting means on opposite sides of said vertical axis whereby to positively cause horizontal swinging of the mounting means in either direction about said axis.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises a pair of actuators, each actuator being connected to a mounting means on oppositersides of said vertical axis whereby to positively cause horizontal swinging of the mounting means in either direction about said axis, each actuator including a cable, a lever pivoted to means for stopping horizontal Swinging movement of said mounting means in one direction when the socket is in position for receiving the locking pin.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein the lower section includes guide tracks for slidably guiding the upper section during sliding movement of the latter, said mounting means being disposed above said guide tracks.

8. A locking device for a longitudinally extensible derrick having upper and lower telescoping sections associated for relative sliding movement comprising a plurality of pairs of support means, mounting means pivotally securing each support means upon the lower section for horizontal swinging about a vertical axis, each support means having a socket, a plurality of locking pins carried by the upper section and each being receivable in one of said sockets, actuating means for each pair of support means and comprising first and second actuators each con- .nected to both of the support means in a pair on opposite sides of said axis whereby the pair of support means may :be simultaneously pivoted horizontally in either direction.

9. The combination of claim 8 including a stop means on said lower section cooperating with each mounting means for stopping horizontal swinging movement of said 6 mounting means in one direction when the socket is in position for receiving the locking pin.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein each support means includes a body having substantially parallel first and second bores therein, said first bore being rotatably journaled upon said mounting means and said second bore comprising said sockets, ears on said body on opposite sides of said first bore for engagement by said actuating means.

11. The combination of claim 8 wherein each support means includes a body having substantially parallel first and second bores therein, said first bore being rotatably journaled upon said mounting means and said second bore comprising said sockets, ears on said body on opposite sides of said first bore for engagement by said actuating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 346,466 Corbett Aug. 3, 1886 2,092,022 Rieger Sept. 7, 1937 2,331,559 McEwen Oct. 12, 1943 2,336,432 Wilson Dec. 7, 1943 

